Support

About the Volunteer Program

VOLUNTEER

History Center volunteers contribute their time, talents and energy, helping the History Center in many valuable ways. Volunteering offers rewarding opportunities for growth and personal enrichment. Enhance visitors’ understanding of the history of San Diego. Conduct tours of our dynamic exhibitions. Work with our collections and brush up on your library skills. Join like-minded individuals and meet new people, gain knowledge, experience and help tell the story of our community. VOLUNTEER BENEFITS

Museum store discounts including 30% discount on books and other educational materials and 15% discount on all other merchandise.

Free admission to both History Center museums (Balboa Park and the Junípero Serra Museum) and the Research Archives.

Free admission to all History Center-sponsored lectures, space permitting.

Balboa Park employee discounts for tickets to special events and programs.

History Center quarterly newsletter, The Times, with informative articles and updates.

Opportunities to make new friends, utilize your unique skills and build your resume while sharing your passion for San Diego history.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Below are selected volunteer opportunities. For more information about other opportunities, including in other departments, contact the Volunteer Manager: volunteer@sandiegohistory.org or 619-232-6203 x163. Training is provided where indicated. All volunteers receive a general orientation and introduction to the History Center.

GALLERY GUIDES
Gallery Guides are ambassadors of the museum. Duties include welcoming guests in a friendly and professional manner, engaging visitors in conversations about the content and intent behind our exhibitions, answering questions, and enhancing the visitor experience. Interpretative skills and techniques are taught and written materials and training are provided for individual exhibitions. Guides must agree to work a minimum of six hours a month. Training is provided.

DOCENTS
Docents facilitate interactive, inquiry-based tours for adult and school groups in order to spark visitors’ imaginations and stimulate their curiosity. SDHC docents play a vital role in creating memorable experiences by bringing history alive. SDHC staff train docents at both the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park and the Serra Museum in Presidio Park as well as for our Balboa Park walking tour. A one-year commitment is required. Training is provided.

COMMUNITY HISTORIANSCommunity Historians are a group of SDHC volunteers who offer presentations on local history to community groups and organizations. Presenters in this program would work closely with SDHC staff to develop their own presentations, covering a wide array of topics relating to San Diego’s past. Training is provided.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Volunteers help our program attendees learn more about our exhibitions and collections through lectures, panel discussions, workshops, films, and more. Volunteers gain hands-on experience coordinating various aspects of the programs and assisting during programs. Most programs occur on evenings and weekends. Duties and hours vary depending on type and size of event. No minimum time commitment is required.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

ADMINISTRATIVE
Administrative volunteers help with administrative projects on an as-needed basis in various departments. Duties may include stuffing envelopes, organizing files, assisting the staff with preparatory work for meetings and other tasks. Projects are periodic; there is no minimum time commitment for volunteers.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Special Events volunteers assist staff with special events on an as-needed basis. Events generally occur after hours or on weekends. Duties and hours vary depending on type and size of event. No minimum time commitment is required.

SPECIAL PROJECTS
Special projects volunteers assist staff with unique projects on an as-needed basis. Projects may include assisting in the Museum Store, selling memberships at special events or staffing an information desk. Duties and hours vary dependent on type and size of project. No minimum time commitment is required. Training is provided.

COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES

THE PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTIONPhotograph Collection
Photograph Collection volunteers work closely with staff to help process the History Center’s vast historic Photograph Collection, including digitizing prints, negatives and slides for our digital database and cataloging documents and photos. Volunteers commit to at least three to four hours per week. PhotoShop and some cataloging experience is preferred. Legible, neat handwriting is essential, as is attention to detail and good typing skills.

OBJECT COLLECTIONSObject CollectionHistoric Clothing CollectionSan Diego Art Collection
Object or Curatorial volunteers work closely with the staff on data entry and cataloguing of the curatorial collections (objects of everyday life, historic clothing and textiles, decorative and fine art). Knowledge of museum terminology helpful; experience working with computers and willingness to sit at a computer for extended periods of time; attention to detail and accuracy a must along with legible and neat handwriting.

Become a History Center Volunteer!

San Diego History Center is currently accepting new volunteers. Fill out the Volunteer Application Form to apply online for all opportunities. The Volunteer Department will contact you to schedule an interview or invite you to an orientation. Please note that volunteer opportunities can be limited. Thank you for your interest!

For a list of upcoming closures at each site, see Visit and click on the location you will be visiting.

The San Diego History Center is funded in part by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture and by the County of San Diego. The History Center is a member of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership and the San Diego Museum Council. The History Center is also a Smithsonian Affiliate.